Odds and ends – where should you buy boxers, socks and belts

I spend a lot of time talking about suits and shirts and pants and all that good stuff, but what about the smaller accessories? The things that we all own, but rarely put much thought into: the boxers, socks, and belts of our lives. This week, let’s talk a bit about the three items that don’t get a lot of attention on the BE blog. Here’s my opinion on where should you buy boxers, socks and belts.

Boxers

Brett had a good point recently when he said that one item you never want to save money on is your pair of boxers. The rationale that he provided is that when we go off to college or end up living on our own finally, and we have the freedom to buy our own boxers for the first time, our first instinct is to purchase the cheap ones we find at the big department stores.

We will surely smile at the cash register when we see $2.00 flash on the screen and we’ll pat ourselves on the back for being so frugal and savvy.

But then you wear them.

And very quickly the economics go out the window and instead, all you are focused on now, is taking smaller steps and avoiding stairs altogether. Why? If you really must ask, then let’s just say that cheap cotton (or polyester, yikes!) can be a little rough down there.

On the flip side, it’s very easy these days to find yourself a victim of good marketing and end up paying $45.00 a pair (if not more) for underwear with some guy’s name on it.

So, what’s a guy to do?

In my opinion, you should spend a little more than you think you should, but not so much that it’s outrageous. And just buy one or two pairs at a time. That way you can take them for a test drive before buying more of the same.

Socks

Our advice? Go to Nordstrom’s Rack and check out the ‘sock wall.’ There you will find tons and tons of socks. From the conservative to the liberal, stripes to spots, you name it, you’ll find it. And the best part is that these socks are ridiculously inexpensive. To find something in the neighborhood of $5.00 isn’t uncommon.

The catch is that these socks are probably from last year’s stock at Nordstroms. But who cares? They’re socks! No one, not even me, is going to look at your ankles and point out, “Hmm, those definitely appear to be from 2014, you should really update your look, dude.”

So, save yourself some money and head on over to Nordy’s Rack every few months when your sock drawer needs reinforcement. I think you’re guaranteed to find something you like, and you won’t break the bank doing so.

Belts

When it comes to shopping for belts, you have quite a few options. Obviously, the nicer department stores in the mall will have a huge supply. And if you’re looking for something particularly dressy, you’re probably only going to find it at the mall.

However, if you want something a little more casual and you are open to trying something new, then head over to Armitage & McMillan on Platte Street in Denver. They always have a handful of locally made belts in stock whenever I drop in.